Chancellor Schmidt wants to run for the Bundestag
After over 20 years by Olaf Scholz's side, Chief of Staff Wolfgang Schmidt will run for his own seat for the first time. The board of his former Hamburg SPD district association Eimsbüttel unanimously nominated the 53-year-old as the direct candidate for the Bundestag election in September next year, as the district chairman Milan Pein told the German Press Agency. With his move to Berlin, Schmidt left the Hamburg district association.
"I want to win the direct mandate in Eimsbüttel for our SPD together with you at the next Bundestag election," Schmidt writes in a letter to "dear comrades," which was obtained by the dpa.
"Wolfgang Schmidt, as Chancellor's Minister, former State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Finance and State Councillor of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, is an experienced and highly competent politician with whom we believe we can win the constituency," said Pein to the dpa.
Schmidt, born and raised in Hamburg, is considered Olaf Scholz's closest confidant. During Scholz's time as Hamburg's mayor, he served as State Councillor for foreign affairs in the Senate. Later, he followed him to Berlin as State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Finance and took over the Chancellery after the change of government at the end of 2021.
"Wolfgang Schmidt's extensive experience as Chancellor's Minister, State Secretary, and State Councillor has been instrumental in his political career, honed over many years."
"Given his wealth of experience and competence, Schmidt aims to leverage these skills to secure a direct mandate in Eimsbüttel for the SPD at the upcoming Bundestag election."
